Council voted 7-0 to pass a resolution that puts the city on a path to clean and renewable energy over the next several decades.

Reading is the 19th community in Pennsylvania to commit to 100 percent clean, renewable energy. It is also the 130th city to adopt the goal nationally.

After council passed the resolution, there was a brief round of applause from some of the two dozen people gathered in council chambers.

Reading for 100, a group of Berks County residents, pushed for the city to make the energy transition.

The resolution commits Reading to have 100% clean, renewable electricity for city-owned facilities and equipment by 2030, and renewable energy for heat and transportation by 2040. By 2035, the entire city would have 100% clean, renewable electricity. By 2050, that would extend to all sectors, the resolution says, including transportation.

The resolution also calls for council to draft and adopt a municipal energy master plan by July 2020.

As each council member cast the vote for the resolution, tears welled up in Stephanie J. Andersen's eyes.

Andersen, the volunteer leader of Reading for 100 and an instructor at Reading Area Community College, was instrumental in getting the resolution before council.

“My children and students look to the future with hope,” she said. “I want to protect that hope. Today by passing this resolution we commit ourselves to one another.”

Council President Jeffrey S. Waltman Sr. said that he believes council has always supported protecting the environment.

“I just want us to all believe that if we can produce new and renewable energy in a cost-effective way that's efficient, why wouldn't we,” he said. “The goal is to get there.”

Now that council passed the resolution, Waltman challenged the current administration and the incoming administration to take action.

“We can say it on a resolution tonight, but it has to be executed,” he said. “This stuff needs to show up in our budgets. It has to gradually get there.”

Dozens of residents turned out to voice their opinions on the resolution.

Vote praised

Bill Vitale, an architect who designs green buildings, praised council for supporting the resolution that is normally supported by forward-thinking municipalities like Austin, Portland and Philadelphia, he said.

“I felt proud that I, too, live in a city that has an elected body that will add its name to that list of cities,” Vitale said. “It also made me feel hopeful. You're about to show political courage and making Reading a place that will contribute to our future survival.”

But resident Edward Kennedy spoke against the resolution, calling it “socialist dreams.”

“Before you go crazy and pass this silly resolution,” he said, “I hope you do a cost-benefit analysis.”

Councilwoman Lucine Sihelnik was happy council was not passing the resolution as a reaction to an issue.

“This is progressive legislation,” Sihelnik said. “This is what we hope to move forward; not things that are reactionary.”

Sihelnik said the resolution is just the beginning

“When we talk about legislation like this, we focus on clean and renewable energy,” she said. “That's one aspect of sustainability.”

Sihelnik added that protecting the environment is one pillar to becoming a sustainable community. The other two are economic and financial stability and community.

“I believe this will lead us toward the other two pillars of sustainability,” she said.